Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Wednesday, 7 November 2012

St Willibrord


Today is the feast day of St Willibrord, the Northumbrian born Apostle of the Frisians, and founder of the see of Utrecht and the abbey of Echternach. Amongst Anglo_Saxon missionaries to the continent he is second only to St Boniface in importance.
There is a full and detailed study by Marios Costambeys in the Oxford DNB which can be read here .
There is also an online life here and there is another which can be read at the biography of St. Willibrord site.
His tomb is at Echternach in Luxemburg, and it is in honour of St Willirord that the remarkable Dancing procession of Echternach  take splace on Whit Tuesday each year.
The Romanesque former abbey church at Echternach, now designated the basilica of St Willibrord, holds his relics.
  • St Willibrord Basilika, Echternach, Luxemburg
  • The basilica of St Willibrord at Echternach
Image: kaarvea on Panoramio
The very handsome nineteenth century church of St Willibrord in Utrecht has been featured by the New Liturgical Movement in an article which can be read here, with a link to an earlier post on NLM about the church and its liturgical life. 
Church of St Willibrord Utrecht
Image: New Liturgical Movement
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